Carpoolers and bus riders will find traveling on Interstate 90 around Eastgate and Factoria easier with the addition of direct access ramps to HOV lanes and, as a result, added stops to Sound Transit bus routes.

Several changes are afoot this fall to improve transit service for Bellevue bus riders and carpoolers, particularly those in Eastgate and Factoria:

The Eastgate direct access ramps at 142nd Place Southeast opened on Oct. 21. These new ramps connect the 142nd Place bridge to the Interstate 90 HOV lanes. The new ramps provide a direct connection to the Eastgate Park-and-Ride for buses, carpools and vanpools traveling the I-90 corridor. For details, consult the Sound Transit website.

Also on Oct. 21, reflecting the opening of the new access ramps, additional trips and revised routing took effect for certain Sound Transit routes. Service will operate to and from the east via the direct access ramp at 142nd Place Southeast. Of particular interest to Factoria-area riders, there will be new stops for ST Express Route 555 at Southeast 36th Street and Factoria Boulevard, Southeast 36th Street and about 136th Avenue Southeast and at 142nd Place and Southeast 32nd Street (Bellevue Community College). The Bellevue City Council worked with Sound Transit to implement this new service.